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MR. HODGES' SERMON, 



OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH OF 



THE REV. JOHN REED, D. D. 



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Class P X 7 /S.fe O 

Book ■ Rj h hi f> 



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SERMON 



DELIVERED BEFORE THE 



CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY 



WEST-BRIDGE WATER 



27th FEBRUARY, 1831, 



THE LORD'S-DAY AFTER THE INTERMENT OF THEIR MINISTER, 



THE REV. JOHN REED, D. D. 






— 



By R. M. HODGES, 

MINISTER OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY IN B r RID,GE>VA,TER. 



CAMBRIDGE: 

E. W. METCALF AND COMPANY. 

1831. 






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THE BEREAVED SOCIETY IN WEST-BRIDGE WATER 

AND TO 

THE CHILDREN OF THE LATE DR. REED, 
THIS SERMON, 

PRINTED AT THEIR REQUEST, IS INSCRIBED, 

WITH SENTIMENTS OF RESPECT AND AFFECTION, 

BY 

THE AUTHOR. 



SERMON 



ECCLESIASTES ix. 1. 

THE RIGHTEOUS, AND THE WISE. AND THEIR WORKS, ARE IN THE HAND OF 

GOD. 

God is supreme over all. Every part of the wide universe 
is subject to his government, and obedient to his laws. In 
infinite mercy, he ordaineth the various allotments of life, and 
his presence is alike manifest in the light of prosperity, and 
in the darkness of adversity. He speaks, and our hearts 
are elated. He speaks, and our hearts are oppressed. By 
his word we live, and by his word we die. The power of 
the Almighty is continually exerted, in advancing the pur- 
poses of a beneficent Providence, both in the natural and in 
the moral world. 

The reflection, that God is within and around us, exercis- 
ing his power, and doing according to his own pleasure, when 
connected with just and filial conceptions of his character, is, 
of all others, the most grateful to the pious and contemplative 
mind. The Being, under whose government we are, is not 
only Almighty, but perfectly righteous, and wise, and good. 
Do we not carry about with us evidences of the wisdom and 
benignity of Him who made us ? Are not our minds, which 
are capable of looking inward, and abroad, and upward, 
emanations from the exhaustless source of intellectual light ? 
Do not our affections, which flow freely from heart to heart, 
and sweeten all the charities of life, proceed from the fountain 
of eternal love ? And do not all the endowments we possess, 
in all their operations and effects, assure us, that the power, 
by which they act and are blessed, is never exerted but in 



infinite wisdom ? Is there not an evidence of benevolent 
design in that Providence, which covereth the heavens with 
clouds, which prep areth rain for the earth, which malceth the 
grass to grow upon the mountains, which giveth to the beast 
his food and to the young ravens which cry ? Do not the 
instructions derived from the relations of life and all the cir- 
cumstances of our existence, — from the seasons of the year, 
at one time delighting the eye with the richness, variety, and 
beauty of the productions of the earth, and at another, as 
now, inviting to serious contemplation and useful study, teach 
that the all-powerful is also the all-wise and beneficent Ruler 
of the universe ? Is it not obvious, so far as we are per- 
mitted to scan the ways of Providence, that there is an admira- 
ble adaptation of means to the end, and that all things are 
ordered in unerring wisdom and unspeakable goodness ? In 
view then of the teachings of nature, respecting the character 
and government of God, have we not cause for deep and fer- 
vent gratitude that our lives are in his hands, and that all our 
enjoyments are at his disposal ? 

In testimony of the beneficence of the government of the 
Almighty, let me advert to the number of our blessings. 
Whatever may be the sum of misery in the world, there is a 
much greater sum of happiness. Our days of health are out 
of all proportion more than our days of sickness. Our hours 
of rejoicing far outnumber our hours of mourning. I might 
pursue these comparisons to an indefinite extent. We do not 
possess a power or an affection that is not almost invariably 
a source or inlet of enjoyment. The scenes of nature are, 
for the most part, delightful to the eye, and inspiring to the 
mind. The sun is oftener bright than it is clouded. The 
relations of life are seldom interrupted in their design to 
create the purest happiness. Though we may be sadly 
bereaved, we are never left desolate. It, however, is not my 
purpose to vindicate the goodness of God, but only to show 
the grounds of trust, gratitude, and joy we have in conse- 
quence of being in His hands. 



But there is something more and greater than the teach- 
ings of nature and the lessons of experience to engage us 
humbly, joyfully, to acquiesce in that appointment which 
makes us the care and at the disposal of the Supreme. There 
is the voice of Revelation, which is as the voice of God. It 
cometh not to us in the fearful accents of might, but in the 
gentle whisperings of love. It tells us of an unbounded 
and beneficent Providence, giving beauty to the lily of 
the valley, watching the sparrow in its fall, and even num- 
bering the very hairs of our head. It teaches us that 
the character of God perfectly corresponds with the char- 
acter of Providence ; for God is that Providence itself. It 
teaches us a more glorious doctrine ; — that God is our 
Father ; that he dealeth with us as with children ; and or- 
dereth all things with a view to the highest perfection of our 
being. Our Creator and Preserver, the Source of excellence, 
and the Author of all good, has implanted within us the 
seeds of improvement, and he knows under what culture they 
will best flourish. He knows when to bestow the reviving 
rays of the sun of prosperity, and when to shed the genial 
dews of the clouds of adversity. The experience of affec- 
tionate and confiding piety concurs with the instructions of 
revelation in respect to the wise design and good tendency 
of affliction. For affliction softens the heart of man, and 
procures a more sincere and enduring sympathy in the wants 
and weaknesses of human nature. Without it we should 
have no bonds of interest, no common ties of brotherhood. 
The heart would be left to brood alone over its own sorrows. 
God then is good, even in what, to the view of man, are his 
adverse dispensations. But we must not forget that revela- 
tion brings to light a better world, with the glory of which the 
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared, 
and for which it represents these light afflictions, which are 
but for a moment, as designed to educate us. Have we not 
abundant reason to glory in the government of God, and to 
rejoice that the duration of our lives and all the circumstan- 



ces, which are to distinguish our future days, are entirely at 
his disposal ? The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us 
be glad and rejoice, and give honor to his holy name. 

The righteous, and the wise, and their worlcs f are in the 
hand of God. The sentiment of the text, as we have seen, is 
animating and consoling to the heart of the humble and devout 
Christian. It surely cannot be necessary to go far back in 
tracing the order of Providence, to be convinced that God 
presides over the life and labors of man, Monuments of 
ancient pride and glory, with the generations which erected 
them, have crumbled into dust, and exist but in the record of 
history. Works of taste and art, if they remain, remain only 
to give imperfect conceptions of the grandeur of invention 
and power of execution possessed by men, who, with their 
wonderful capacities, have passed away. Where are now the 
distinguished patriots, the wise legislators, who, in the hour 
of our country's peril, stood up in defence of freedom and 
the rights of man ? Their work is done. How well done, 
the institutions they have left to their posterity do bear, 
and, may I not say, in all time to come, shall bear ample 
testimony. But the memorable actors themselves ; where are 
they 2 God has done his pleasure with them ! Where are 
the great and good men, whose works of wisdom and piety 
have enlightened our understandings and warmed our hearts ? 
Has not God called them to cease from their labors ? Your 
fathers, my hearers, "where zxetheyV " And the pro- 
phets, do they live for ever ? " Has not a large portion of 
your civil and ecclesiastical affairs become a matter only of 
record ? Where are the men, who, little more than a century 
and a half ago, in the spirit of that piety and provident wis- 
dom which distinguished the Pilgrims, made provision here 
for the support and maintenance of the institutions of the 
Gospel ? The fathers and the children, the teachers and the 
taught, the righteous and the wise, of those days, long since 
passed away, have passed away with them ! And ye, venera- 
ble men ! whose period of life bears a striking analogy to the 



9 

present season of the year, do many of those, who, when you 
were in the spring time of life, cultivated these fields, and 
united with you in promoting public order and good morals, 
who welcomed you to their hospitable homes, and walked in 
company with you to the house of God, — do many of your 
early friends and associates live except in your memories ? 
Look around you, and see how very small a remnant is left of 
those who, less than fifty-one years ago, sympathized with 
you in all the feelings and hopes of that occasion which wit- 
nessed the consummation of your desires in the ordination of 
a youthful and devoted servant of Christ. Your minds, as 
they pass along from that day to this, doubtless are arrested 
by the mementos of many sad changes in the public and social 
relations of life, and you behold the mature and the young 
occupying the places of those who were your companions in 
years. But, my fathers, where now is he, whom ye gladly 
welcomed to your affections, as the friend of your souls, your 
spiritual guide ? Brethren and friends ! Where is he, who 
has so long and so often borne you in the arms of Christian 
faith and hope to the throne of grace, beseeching God to 
enlighten, sanctify, bless, and save you ? Where is he, from 
whose lips you have been accustomed to hear the precepts, 
promises, and hopes of the Gospel unfolded, and who has 
taught you, in the simplicity and power of heavenly truth, 
your duty in all the relations of life, and especially your 
obligations to yourselves as possessing immortal souls ? Where 
is he, who has wept with you when in sorrow, and rejoiced 
with you when in joy, and always been ready to offer you his 
counsel and lend you his aid in time of need ? Disciples of 
Jesus ! Where is he, who ministered at this altar, and brake 
to you the bread of life, and administered to you the or- 
dinances of religion ? I read in your countenances, breth- 
ren, the solemn answer to these questions. The order of 
Providence has gone on, and, in its course, has removed from 
these scenes and these duties, to nobler scenes and higher 
duties, your venerable and beloved pastor and friend, your 
% 



10 

Christian teacher. He is gathered to his fathers ! His dust 
is mingling with the dust of his predecessors in office. His 
spirit has returned to God who gave it. How solemnly, how 
impressively is thelruth brought home to our minds, my hear- 
ers, that " the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in 
the hand of God ! " 

I. have a melancholy satisfaction in performing the duty 
which I propose to myself, of delineating the character of 
that revered man, whose remains we have lately committed to 
the tomb, and whose memory we so fondly cherish. I regard 
it as an act of filial affection to a father, the light of whose 
mind has instructed me, and the warmth of whose heart has 
cheered me. I regard it as a duty which I owe to you, for I 
recollect that he, whose lips are now sealed in death, spake 
words of consolation and counsel to my own people when 
they were bending in sorrow over the ashes of my excellent and 
venerated predecessor. I could wish, indeed, that it were in my 
power to erect a monument that would be worthy the memory 
of your deceased minister ; not that I would add to the just 
value of his living character, but that you might receive greater 
benefit from the contemplation of it. It is not to confer 
honor upon the dead, (for the dead are insensible to praise,) but 
to do good to the living, that I speak. And I would speak, 
as I know, were it in his power, my departed friend would 
bid me, the words of truth and soberness. 

Your late venerable and beloved minister, the Rev. John 
Reed, D. D., was born in Framingham, Massachusetts, on the 
11th of November, 1751. While he was yet young, his 
father, who was a clergyman, accepted an invitation to take 
the pastoral care of the church and society, constituting the 
North Parish in Middleborough, included in which is a por- 
tion of Bridgewater, so that the early years of our deceased 
friend were passed in our immediate vicinity. Of a family of 
four sons, all of whom were publicly educated, three studied 
divinity and sustained the sacred office ; — a pleasing and 
honorable testimony of the influence of parental instruction 



11 

and example. Thd father, the Rev. Solomon Reed, adopted 
and taught the doctrines of the Calvinistic school of divinity. 
Of course, the same doctrines were instilled into the minds 
of his children. In 1768, at the age of 17, he, in whose 
early history we are now interested, entered the Col- 
lege at New Haven, that institution being preferred by his 
father, both on account of his intimate friendship with some 
of its officers, and because of the soundness, in his view, of 
the theological doctrines there maintained.* The character 
of his mind and the order of his affections in after life were 
a sufficient manifestation of the diligence and success with 
which he attended to his studies, and of the respect which he 
paid to his superiors while pursuing his academic course. 
Having received, in 1772, the first literary degree, he still 
remained to pursue his studies preparatory to the Christian 
ministry, under the favorable auspices of his Alma Mater. 
It was at this period of his life that an interesting circumstance 
occurred, which had an important influence on his future 
character, happiness, and usefulness. It was a circumstance, 
too, which, in its result, saved to the church a mind and a 
heart, whose entire energies and affections have been devoted 
to sacred interests. The doctrines which he had been taught 
to believe to be well-founded in that word which is truth, 
the word of God, presented to his view the character and 
government of the High and Holy One in a forbidding and 
cheerless light, and his mind was dejected -and unhappy. 
However repugnant to his cherished purpose, and painful 
to the filial affections of his heart, the determination, he 

* While the Rev. Solomon Reed was a candidate, he met with a 
young man of extraordinary promise (in his opinion) by the name of 
Daggett. He gratuitously instructed and prepared him for college. 
He was educated at New Haven, and afterward became president of the 
college. The debt was fully cancelled by the assistance he afforded 
the Rev. Dr. Reed, the eldest son of his patron. President Daggett 
died of wounds received while defending New Haven against an attack 
by the British during the revolutionary war. 



12 

could not for a moment think of assuming a profession that 
required him to believe and teach, for religious truths, doc- 
trines which represent God, our Father in heaven, as partial, 
unkind, and unjust. He was about changing his studies, and 
directing the energies of his mind in a different course. But 
a wise Providence ordered otherwise. There was a religious 
principle within him, which sought an upward direction and 
a wide expansion, and it would not easily be diverted from its 
purpose. He threw aside the translations and expositions 
of uninspired men, and, with an earnest desire after the truth, 
pursued the study of the sacred writings in their original 
languages. And the result of his investigation was most sat- 
isfactory to his understanding, and most grateful to his be- 
nevolent feelings. The dispensations of Providence, and the 
moral government of God, appeared to his view invested 
with new, and a clear, and most glorious light. And he 
could never speak of the peculiar doctrines to which Calvin 
has given a name and celebrity, (though, doubtless, at the 
present day, much changed and ameliorated,) without ex- 
pressions of astonishment at their being received as the 
teachings of Jesus, and deep anxiety on account of their 
natural tendency. They appeared to his mind to be sub- 
versive of the very foundation of the Gospel, and of course 
to be extremely prejudicial to the religious elevation and 
consequent happiness of man. 

Between the interval of his leaving New Haven, two years 
after he was graduated, and his settlement in the ministry, he 
was employed as a chaplain in the naval service of the United 
States. His relation to this service continued but for one 
year, during which time he was never called to learn the 
lessons and to witness the scenes of a sea voyage. There 
were, however, occasions, as I have often heard him say, in 
this period of his life, which called for the exercise of great 
wisdom and prudence, and sometimes not a little self-posses- 
sion and fortitude. 



13 

Through the favorable opinion of those who have already 
gone to rest, and of here and there one who yet remains, he 
was, on the 7th of June, 1780, ordained as associate pastor, 
with the Rev. Daniel Perkins, of this church and society. 

At the close of the last and beginning of the present cen- 
tury, the aspect of our political horizon cast a deep gloom 
over our country, and filled the hearts of patriots with anxiety 
and forebodings respecting the safety and permanency of our 
institutions. Dr. Reed was associated with the choice spirits 
of that day who deliberated and acted in the representative 
department of the general government, then sitting at Phila- 
delphia. The attention which he then gave to public affairs, 
the sagacity of his mind, his firmness and candor, commanded 
great respect and influence. Nor was his usefulness limited 
to the immediate fulfilment of his political trust. In his pri- 
vate character so sedate, and at the same time so child-like 
and free from guile and ostentation ; in his views of religion 
so plain, clear, and consistent ; in his intercourse with his 
fellow-men so sober, sincere, and kind, and so ready always 
to give a reason for his faith, — he exerted a healthful and 
moral power, and won attention and esteem. His religious 
instruction and reasoning were particularly useful in reclaiming 
the skeptical, and those bordering upon infidelity, whose re- 
ligious education had taught them to believe in dark myste- 
ries, and disheartening and false opinions of religion and the 
character of God, to those pleasant paths, which are cheered 
by the bright shining of the sun of righteousness, peace, and 
hope.* 

* While at Philadelphia, Dr. Reed was designedly, though without 
any suspicion, on his part, of the design, led to engage in conversa- 
tion with some gentlemen who were inclined to disbelieve the Gos- 
pel. Upon the reasons of their disbelief being stated, reasons drawn 
not from the direct study of the Gospel, but. from the instructions of 
their religious teachers, Dr. Reed confessed that his mind had been 
similarly situated, frankly acknowledged the justice of their conclu- 
sions as derived from their premises, and then showed them plainly and 
satisfactorily from the Scriptures, that the premises assumed were false, 



14 

The knowledge which, while he was a member of Con- 
gress, he acquired of men and things, and of the influence of 
association on the intellectual and moral powers, aided his 
mind in that discrimination, for which it was ever distinguish- 
ed. As a Christian philanthropist he loved his country, and 
cherished a deep interest in the civil, religious, and political 
rights of man to the very close of his life.* 

In reverting to the connexion which he sustained with you, 
and speaking of the manner in which he performed the du- 
ties most congenial to his early associations and best feelings, 
I shall hardly hope to bring one forgotten circumstance to 
your recollection. For he has long been with you in the 
exercise of his best thoughts and kindest affections, as a father 
with his children. I shall but take the course of your own 
minds in what I shall have to say pertaining to his ministry. 

From the character of Dr. Reed's mind, already given, it 
might be expected that he would not be satisfied with any 
sentiments drawn from second-hand or subordinate authority, on 
any subject, and especially on the all-important subject of reli- 
gion, when he could have access to the highest authority itself. 
It was with him a primary principle of moral obligation to 
seek out and to avail himself of all the aids and lights which 
God had given him for the investigation and discovery of mor- 
al and religious truth. His mind was always employed on 

inasmuch as they were the deductions of fallible men, and not the 
teachings of the Divine Messenger of grace and truth. 

* Dr. Reed was a member of Congress six years. He was first 
elected in 1794. It was remarked of him while in Congress, that no 
man better maintained the grace and dignity, which became his char- 
acter both as a Christian minister and an upright legislator. 

The political relation, in which Dr. Reed was placed, was not one 
of his own seeking. He was called to serve in the councils of his 
country by the almost unanimous voice of his constituents. He never 
sought distinction as a politician either in the hall of legislation or 
through the medium of the press. At the appropriate time, he retired 
from public life, and with a purpose of mind, which rose above all 
earthly considerations, devoted himself to the duties and pursuits of 
his favorite profession. 



15 

subjects of high intellectual and sacred import, — in studying 
the works and dispensations of God. He reasoned, as the 
Apostle did, on truths interesting to man as created in the 
image of God, and capable of rising to a more glorious being. 
His thoughts, when expressed in formal discourse, were appo- 
site and full of meaning, solemn and impressive. He selected 
the plainest and simplest language, always sacrificing every 
ornament and beauty to perspicuity ; for he loved truth above 
all things. In his manner of speaking he was plain and simple, 
endeavouring humbly to imitate his divine master, Jesus 
Christ, who, he often said, sat down and taught his disciples 
and hearers ; of course he had no fame as an orator. He 
made no display of imagination, nor did he attempt to play the 
orator in manner and gesture. The printed sermons, on in- 
teresting occasions, which he has left, while they are a testi- 
mony of the reputation in which he was held by his brethren 
in the sacred office, will bear an honorable comparison, in 
point of literary execution and fervent thought, with similar 
productions of the same age of divines.* 

* The following are the productions of Dr. Reed. 
—A Sermon at the Ordination of Mr. Kilborn Whitman, in Pembroke, 
12th December, 1787. 

A Sermon at the Ordination of Mr. Jonas Hartwell, in Kittery. 

Right Hand of Fellowship at the Ordination of Mr. James Wilson, 
in Providence, 17th October, 1793. 

Right Hand of Fellowship at the Ordination of Mr. James Flint, 
in East Bridge water, 29th October, 1806. 

A volume, entitled ' An Apology for the Rite of Infant Baptism,' 1806. 

A Sermon before the Convention of Congregational Ministers in Bos- 
ton, 27th May, 1807. 

A Sermon at the Ordination of Mr. Darnel Johnson, in Orleans, 
11th May, 1808. 

A Sermon before the Plymouth Association of Ministers in Middle- 
borough, 26th September, 1810. 

A Sermon before the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, 
Piety, and Charity, May, 1814. 

In 1812, Dr. Reed delivered the Dudleian Lecture, on Revealed 
Religion, before the University in Cambridge ; taking for his text, 
Gen. iii. 15. This Lecture, however, was not printed. 



16 

His knowledge, wisdom, moderation, and fearless indepen- 
dence in the discharge of his duty, qualified him, in an emi- 
nent degree, to advise and counsel individuals and churches. 
His advice was sought on various occasions in the vicinity and 
at a distance. His reports and results have been deservedly 
distinguished. His opinions of the relation between minister 
and parish, and the corresponding obligations of each to the 
other, and of the connexion between church and parish, and 
of the power and respective rights and disabilities of each, in 
our Congregational societies, have been so just and correct, 
and so clearly and accurately defined, that they have been 
highly respected, and have received the approbation of the 
judges of the courts, and particularly of Chief Justice Par- 
sons. A result of a council drawn up by him has been, in 
substance, adopted as the foundation of an important leading 
decision of the Supreme Court. 

He investigated subjects of controversy, and especially po- 
lemic divinity, with the most minute examination, and impar- 
tial and profound consideration. The results of his investi- 
gations he regarded as sacred and religious truths ; and in 
favor of these truths, like St. Paul, he fearlessly and manfully 
contended, regardless of popularity. If, in disputing, he ap- 
peared impatient sometimes, and seemed not sufficiently to 
respect the opinions and arguments of his opponents, it arose 
from the circumstance that he had often considered the same 
opinions and arguments, and weighed them in the balance of 
his mind, and found them wanting, and did not consider that 
others had not the same powers of investigation, or had not 
bestowed the same attention upon the subject. He greatly 
excelled as a controversialist ; and the force of his reasoning, 
and the temper of his mind, are fairly displayed in his book 
in defence of Infant Baptism, and his Sermon before the Con- 
vention. These productions manifest a spirit of Christian 
candor and charity toward his opponents, and of Christian 
independence ; calling no man master, — examining the opin- 
ions and arguments of his opponents fairly, — supporting his 
own with facts and logical argumentation. 



17 

You are now probably prepared to hear what were Dr. 
Reed's sentiments on some of the controverted subjects of 
religion. He believed in the strict and absolute unity of 
God. He regarded Him in that character in which he is 
most frequently represented in the Gospel, in the character 
of a Father. He worshipped the Father, and Him alone ; 
the Father of angels and of men, — the Father of Jesus 
Christ, the Saviour. 

He believed in the superangelic nature and preexistence 
of Jesus Christ. He put his trust in him as the Son of 
God, the heavenly Messenger of grace and truth, the hope 
of salvation. It was to him a subject of deep and un- 
ceasing regret, that those with whom he coincided in all 
respects on the nature of God, could not coincide with him 
in all respects on the nature of the Son of God. 

He was accustomed to place an essential value upon the 
sufferings and crucifixion of the Saviour. He believed that 
the efficacy of the death of Christ went not only to the 
redemption of the human family from moral, but also from 
natural death. He believed, that, all mankind having de- 
stroyed themselves by sin, our Saviour, by his active and 
passive obedience, procured for us a new covenant of grace. 
In relation to this subject, which occupied much of his 
thoughts, lest I should incorrectly represent his opinions, I 
prefer to use his own language. " Our Saviour has, in the 
covenant of grace, provided and offered, upon the most rea- 
sonable terms, to direct and assist us by his word and spirit 
to intercede for our acceptance, to pardon our offences, and 
to reward us with everlasting life and bliss. Favored with 
these advantages for becoming holy and happy, we are placed 
in a probationary and solvable state. But our salvation is 
not absolutely insured. We must, in concurrence with the 
truths of God's word, and assistances of his spirit, comply 
with the conditions of the covenant of grace, or perish in our 
sins." * He was far from thinking, that any demand of jus- 

* Ordination Sermon at Orleans, page 8, 
3 



18 

tree or debt, on the part of the eternal and unchangeable 
God, had been satisfied by the tortures and death of the Cross, 
or that by such sacrifice his anger or wrath was appeased. 
But it was his firm belief, that, in consequence of the obe- 
dience, the unwavering trust and ready submission of our 
" Elder Brother," benign and salutary influences flow to 
every one who seeks salvation, from the exhaustless fountain 
of mercy and love. 

He believed in a state of righteous retribution hereafter ; 
that the good would be greatly rewarded, and that the 
wicked would be dreadfully punished. Although it was 
clear to his mind, that a fearful punishment awaited the im- 
penitent transgressor, and was distinctly and awfully revealed ; 
yet it was equally clear to his mind, that the nature and 
duration of the punishment could not be learned from the 
sacred writings, because they were not the subjects of revela- 
tion. And this belief, instead of giving the least countenance 
to sin or negligence, served in his opinion to strengthen all" 
the obligations to virtue and active obedience, and to bind 
the heart more closely to holy affections. He was accus- 
tomed to say, that the most inviting and soul-stirring motives, 
and the most gracious and abundant means, had been ex- 
tended to mankind, to prompt them to live soberly, righteous- 
ly, and godly, and to aid them in obtaining the heavenly 
purpose of the Gospel ; and that if any failed of this purpose, 
the fault would be entirely their own. 

The practical application of the Gospel, he considered as 
its great, its essential design. In this connexion, listen to his 
own monitory words : " Let us not place our religion in dis- 
putable points and ineffectual opinions, but in those weighty 
matters of the law and Gospel, which are of unquestionable 
importance. The Bible is open to us all. This holy book 
contains the religion of Protestant Christians, truths without 
any admixture of error. These truths are not like the articles 
of human creeds, expressed by words in which man's wisdom 
teacheth, but by words in which the Holy Ghost teacheth, 



19 

the words of eternal life. They require us not to call any 
man on earth father or master, for we have no father but 
God, no master but Christ. We are expressly commanded 
to love, reverence, and obey our heavenly Father and divine 
Master, and also to love each other as brethren. If any 
man say, that he loves God, let him love his brother also ; 
for if he love not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can 
he love God, whom he hath not seen." * Such were the 
sentiments of your deceased minister on the prominent points 
of the Gospel. 

Of his private intercourse with you, my hearers, as a mes- 
senger of the truths and consolations and hopes of the Gospel, 
in seasons of bereavement and sorrow, you have no need 
that I speak unto you. You well know, how tender was 
his heart, how sensitive were his feelings. At the bedside 
of the sick, and in company with the afflicted, he said less, 
indeed, than those who were ignorant of his true character 
would have expected. But you have often witnessed his 
tears of compassion and sympathy, struggling with feelings 
too strong for utterance. It is related of him, that he could 
never read or repeat the account of the passion and sufferings 
of Christ, without shedding tears freely. I have been in- 
formed, that in the early period of his ministry, he wrote 
several sermons addressed to the sympathy of his hearers, 
but that he found his own feelings too strong to deliver such 
discourses. To you, his immediate friends, he needed no 
words to express how sincerely and tenderly he sympathized 
with you on all occasions. 

It was to him a subject of unceasing regret, that men were 
so little interested in each other's improvement and happiness ; 
and he especially lamented, that the professed friends of the 
Enlightener and Saviour of the world were not distinguished 
for greater piety and a purer zeal. He could not bear to witness 
the mutual recrimination of those who should love as brethren. 

* Convention Sermon, page 33, 



20 

He considered such conduct as altogether inconsistent with the 
Christian character. He looked with deep anxiety upon what 
appeared to him the lowering aspect of the Christian world. He 
deprecated that exclusive spirit, which prevails at the present 
day. He constantly and earnestly insisted on the rule of judging 
laid down by Christ, — of judging, not by opinions, but by the 
life and conduct, — of judging the tree by the fruit. From 
the bottom of his soul, he abhorred that unhallowed spirit, 
that would sacrifice the harmony and happiness of a people 
to the pride and domination of a party. It was his daily 
prayer, that the hearts of Christians might be bound together 
by the strong bonds of heavenly peace and heavenly love. 

In 1803, he received the honorary degree of Doctor of 
Divinity from Brown University, Rhode Island. 

Although our departed friend did not possess a very vigor- 
ous and healthful constitution, yet in consequence of a regular 
and abstemious mode of living, by the blessing of a beneficent 
Providence, during the period of his ministry, he was pre- 
vented by sickness, but in one or two instances, from standing 
in his accustomed place on the Lord's-day. 

His resignation was most beautifully displayed under that 
divine appointment, which deprived him of his eyesight. 
Owing to this circumstance, the means and extent of his use- 
fulness, during the ten last years of his life, were dimin- 
ished, but they were not terminated.* In order, if it might 
be the will of Heaven, to remove the darkness that obscured 
his earthly hopes, he submitted with wonderful fortitude to 
two very painful but ineffectual operations upon his eyes. 
But though his bodily vision was obscured, his mental vision 
was clear. He had resources within himself, which he had 

* His sight was obscured by an inspissation of the crystalline humor 
of the eye, denominated "cataract." The last time that Dr. Reed 
could avail himself of the aid of a manuscript in preaching, was at the 
funeral of the author's predecessor, the Rev. Zedekiah Sanger, D. D., 
who died on the 17th of November, 1820, having just entered the 73d 
year of his age. 



21 

not neglected to provide in his brighter days, from which he 
could derive intellectual and spiritual nourishment. And it 
was often, and with surprise, remarked by his friends, how 
rich and retentive was his memory, and with what facility 
and readiness he could avail himself of the stores of know- 
ledge he had acquired. He continued to officiate in the 
sacred desk until the close of his life. 

He was not long in doubt respecting the issue of his final 
sickness, which was of short duration. I shall ever cherish 
a grateful though melancholy recollection of the last inter- 
view I had with him. His mind dwelt with grateful satisfac- 
tion on the memory of the recently departed,* even at the 
moment when he knew that he himself was about to put off 
the vestment of mortality. The near approach of death was 
viewed by him with fortitude, and with devout trust in the 
mercy of God. In view of the benignity of that Providence, 
and the abundance of that grace, which had been extended 
to him, he humbly acknowledged his unworthiness. He re- 
membered with gratitude the watchfulness of the all-seeing 
eye, and the care of the omnipotent arm, which had guided 
him in safety through the many dangers to which he had 
been exposed, and brought him to the close of a protracted 
period of life. This interview, which, though affecting, was 
encouraging to the heart and the hopes of a Christian, was 
closed, and in this world for ever closed, by an act of devotion. 
On the evening of the succeeding day, he was sensible that 
the time of his departure was at hand ; and after giving some 
directions respecting his funeral,f with the kindest counsel, and 
with expressions of tenderness, he bade farewell to those whom 
nature and affection had made near and dear to his heart. He 
departed this life on the 17th of February, 1831, in the 80th 



* See Note on page 22. 

f The Rev. Pitt Clark of Norton, at Dr. Reed's request, conducted 
the devotional exercises at the funeral, which took place on the 21st of 
February. 



22 

year of his age, and in the 51st year of his ministry. Ven- 
erable spirit ! Thou hast left thine earthly tabernacle, but 
to be clothed with a more glorious vesture. Already have 
the frailties of nature put on incorruption, and the infirmities 
of age put on immortality. May the mantle of faith and of 
hope, which graced thee while in this vale of mortality, de- 
scend upon the frail ones who cherish the recollection of thy 
many virtues, and whom thou hast left to walk yet awhile 
longer the mazy path of life. 

I offer to you, who are most tenderly affected by the retro- 
spect we have taken of the life of the departed, my condo- 
lence. I need not tell you of the excellence of his private 
life, of the tenderness of his heart, of the warmth and sincerity 
of his friendship. I need not remind you of the versatility, 
the engaging interest, and instructive nature of his conversa- 
tional powers. These sources of your purest happiness 
have been long open to you ; and now that they are closed, 
instead of murmuring, rather rejoice and bless God that you 
were permitted to. enjoy them so long. I offer for you my 
prayers, that the kind design of Providence, in this dispen- 
sation, may be fulfilled ; and that at the close of a well-spent 
life, you may be able to look upon death, not as the extinc- 
tion of your being, but as a translation to a more glorious 
life. 

Ye beloved in Christ ! He who has broken to you the bread 
of life, will break it no more. His hands are mouldering in 
the dust. God speaks to you impressively, emphatically, by 
the voice of His providence, and bids you to watch ; and 
to pray that the destroying angel, when he shall come to 
execute his solemn commission upon you, may find you 
watching. Already, in the short space of a week, have two 
of your number,* with your spiritual head, obeyed the solemn 

* The wife of Mr. Gamaliel Howard, who died February 13th, 
aged 75 years, and Mr. Thomas Howard, who died February 15th, 
aged 50. 



23 

mandate of Heaven, and gone beyond the reach of your 
sympathies and prayers. Who, of you who remain, shall be 
alive when next you shall gather around the table commemo- 
rative of Jesus Christ, is known only to Him, who seeth the end 
from the beginning, in whose hands our breath is, and whose 
are all our ways. I put up my prayer to God for you, that 
He would give you beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for 
mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heavi- 
ness ; that He would fill the places which are now deso- 
late, even as He will renovate the fields which are now 
waste, and fill them with life and beauty, the fair forms of 
Christian faith and love. And I exhort you to listen to, and 
heed the lessons of Providence, to strengthen the things 
that remain and are ready to perish, and, by a life of active 
piety to inspire into each other's hearts a hallowed zeal. 
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, be perfect, be of good 
comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and may the God of 
love and peace be with you. 

My respected friends of this Christian society ! That voice, 
which has so often spoken to you from this sacred desk, on 
subjects of high and holy import, will speak to you no more. 
No more will you witness the expansion of his Christian 
affections, and be touched by their sacred influence, in the 
chamber of sickness, and in the house of mourning. No 
more will the hours of your social intercourse be gladdened 
by his presence, and cheered by the light of his mind. Your 
religious teacher, counsellor, friend, has finished his benevo- 
lent work ; and the will of God, in the extinction of all his 
powers, has been done. It is a solemn season in the period 
of your lives. You are now called upon seriously to reflect, 
in what manner you have improved the lessons of religious 
wisdom, which have been taught you ; and to inquire what 
effect his counsels, admonitions, and warnings have had upon 
your hearts and lives, and how you have requited his kind 
wishes, his fervent prayers, his Christian labors in your behalf. 
What report, of the employment of your minds, and of the- 



24 

exercise of your affections, have the Sabbaths, which in long 
succession have come to you, borne to Heaven ? Have you 
been found as often as the Lord's-day has returned, animating 
the mind and infusing warmth and ardor into the heart of 
your Pastor, by your presence, attention, and devotion in 
this house of your religious solemnities ? Are you ready, in 
the presence of your sainted minister, and before your final 
Judge, to give an account of the manner, in which you have 
performed your several duties under the salutary direction of 
that religious overseer, whom God in his providence had 
placed over you, and whom in the same providence he has 
removed from you ? Solemn questions, these, my friends ! 
God, in whose presence we all are, is a witness, who will never 
forget, and who will remember in that day, which is to try 
all our hearts, and determine our true characters, how I speak, 
and how you hear. May the solemn, the joy-inspiring scenes 
of eternity reveal, that I have not spoken in vain, and that 
you have not heard in vain. 

The ecclesiastical history of this religious society, so far as 
it respects the standing and age of its ministers, is particularly 
memorable. The interests of this church have been honor- 
ably sustained, with an interval of little more than two years, 
by only three ministers, during one hundred arid sixty-seven 
years. The first who was appointed to take the oversight of its 
spiritual concerns, the venerable Keith, to whom many of 
you, as your names will testify, can refer as an honorable 
progenitor, faithfully fulfilled his appointment for the space 
of fifty-Jive years, and, at the age of seventy-six, ceased from 
his labors.* His successor, some of whose descendants are 
also still living among you, the pious Perkins, reverently and 
with honor, held the ministerial office sixty-two years, and 



* The Rev. James Keith was born in Scotland, and educated in 
Aberdeen. He was ordained in West-Bridgewater on the 18th of 
February, 1664, the year in which the church in that place was proba- 
bly instituted. His death occurred on the 23d of July, 1719. 



25 

died in the eighty -sixth year of his age. # The last in suc- 
cession was the amiable and revered Reed, who, as colleague 
pastor, sustained the trembling hands and cheered the sink- 
ing spirits of his predecessor, during an associated relation of 
little more than two years, when he was called to gather up 
his grateful recollections of his senior in age and office, as 
I have endeavoured to quicken your recollections of him, 
who now no longer lives but in our memories and affections. 
1 know not whether there is another instance in the history 
of our churches, which can be compared with this in respect 
to the longevity of ministers in immediate succession. It is a 
circumstance which you should regard as giving a more than 
usually hallowed character to the institutions which your 
fathers established here, and which they have left to be sus- 
tained and preserved by you. And may it not well be re- 
garded as an intimation of Heaven, that the church, which 
was here planted, was planted in the spirit and on the foun- 
dation of the Gospel ; and that Providence wills that it shall 
stand, amid the bufferings of every unholy storm, which may 
agitate the Christian world, an enduring monument of the 
wisdom and piety of past and long succeeding generations ? 
Have a care, then, my friends, — I speak in the name of the 
pious dead, I speak in the name of those who shall come 
after you, I speak in the name of the exalted Head of the 
Church, — have a care, lest by any alienation of mind or of 
affection, you cause that order to be interrupted, which 
Providence, with a long uplifted hand, has pointed out to 
you. By your cherished remembrance of the past, by your 
respect for the dead, by your interest for the living, by your 
affection for your children, and by the peace and hope of 
your never-dying souls, I beseech you to be united in the 
support and maintenance of your religious institutions. What 

# The Rev. Daniel Perkins was a native of Topsfield, Mass. He 
was graduated at Harvard University in ]717, and ordained October 
4th, 1721. He died on the 29th of September, 1782. 

4 



26 

though you cannot all agree in mere speculative opinion, are 
you not willing to sacrifice a little, and even much, of such 
opinion, for the benefit of the general good, and especially 
for so important a good as religion in its practical results ? 
What though you cannot all agree in receiving for doctrines 
the commandments of men, you can all agree in maintaining, 
and, what is of infinitely greater importance, in exemplifyingj 
the principles which support the Christian life ; those princi- 
ples > which elevate the heart in love to God, and expand it 
in benevolence to man. " A perfect coincidence of opinion," 
once said that voice, which has often resounded to these 
walls, " even in doctrines and truths of real importance, is 
not absolutely essential to Christian society and fellowship, 
or to the attainment of eternal felicity ; nor is it to be ex- 
pected among true Christians in a state so imperfect, obscure, 
and sinful, as that in which we at present live." * Cultivate 
the Christian virtues, those virtues which appeared so con- 
spicuous in the life of the great Teacher of righteousness, 
and be content for yourselves to be called Christians, and 
for your society to be called, after the primitive manner, a 
Congregational Christian Society. And in accordance with 
these views, search ye out one, who shall come to you in 
the spirit of peace and of love ; one, whose heart shall be full 
of pious, virtuous, grateful, sympathetic affections ; one, who 
shall teach you by his life, as well as by his instructions ; 
one, who shall bear you in the arms of faith to the throne of 
grace, and commend you to the favor of God ; one, who by 
the gentleness of his manners, the interest of his conversa* 
tion, and the warmth of his heart, shall engage the confidence 
and love of your children ; one, who shall, if possible, more 
than sustain the reputation of those holy men, who here have 
ministered in holy things. Such an one, search ye out, and 
having found him, hasten, in the spirit of gratitude and devo- 
tion, to invest him with the high responsibilities and important 
duties of the sacred office. 

# Convention Sermon, page 38. 



27 

I bring this discourse to a close, brethren and friends of 
this church and society, with expressions of my present and 
continued sympathy in your sorrows, and of my kindest wishes 
in relation to all your concerns. My prayer to God for , ou 
is, and shall be, that you may be a united, a happy, and a 
Christian people, and that ere long you may have cause to 
sing for joy, because of that Providence, which has gently 
dealt with you, and graciously given you a minister, possess- 
ing, in some humble degree, the wisdom and simplicity, and, 
above all, the devotedness of his Master. 

Soon, my hearers, — suffer a parting monitory word, — ■ 
soon we shall be called, as those who have gone before us 
have been, to lay aside our respective employments, and to 
take our rest in the dust. The relations of life, those en- 
dearing and interesting relations, which w T e sustain to each 
other, must be broken. Let it then be our daily prayer, that 
we may sustain them with fidelity, and with a constant refer- 
ence to our high accountability. Then, when the ties of this 
present life are about to be severed, we may look forward 
with faith and hope to that future life, in which the sentiments 
of friendship and of love, which have been cherished on 
earth, and which religion has hallowed, will be strengthened, 
and for ever perfected. God grant that when the hour of 
death shall come to us, it may come finding us in the full 
possession of that faith, which reveals a world of uninterrupt- 
ed life, light, happiness, and joy ! 



APPENDIX 



The following extract is taken from a full and well written obituary 
notice of the Rev. Dr. Reed, which appeared in the Christian 
Register of March 19, 1831. It is from the pen of one who was 
intimately acquainted with the character he has so ably and faithfully 
described. 

All who have been intimately acquainted with Dr. Reed 3 
are deeply sensible, that a great and good man has fallen. 
The God of nature indued him with intellectual powers of 
a high order. He possessed a mind of great strength and 
energy ; original and clear in its conceptions, vigorous and 
extensive in its grasp. He was always distinguished for strong 
reasoning powers, metaphysical acumen, and logical precision. 
If I were to compare him with any of the great men, w r ho 
have shone as lights in the world, it would be with Locke, 
Not that I would claim for him an equality with that eminent 
character ; but I think there was a similarity in the structure 
of their minds, in their mode of thinking, in their habit of 
deliberation and deep research. His reading, though very 
considerable, was not so extensive as that of many others, 
In the early part of his ministry, he was so situated as not to 
have access to a multiplicity of books. This want, however, 
though at the time he felt its inconvenience, he found ulti- 
mately to be not without its use. It led him to a more 
thorough examination of the Scriptures, than he might other- 
wise have given them, and to a more independent mode of 
thinking, than he might have exercised, and to that originality 
for which his productions were generally distinguished. He 
considered it, indeed, a great error, to read much and think 
but little. He thought that much learning too frequently pre- 
vented mental cultivation, originality of conception, and the 
drawing on one's own resources ; and in this way became, 
instead of an advantage, a real misfortune. As food, however 
nutritious, taken in larger quantities than can be digested, 



30 

affords no nourishment to the body ; so he thought much 
reading, without close thinking, would afford no nourishment 
to the mind ; that it produced a mental dyspepsia, actually 
impairing rather than invigorating the intellectual powers. 

As a preacher he was not greatly attractive to a popular 
audience. He neither possessed nor studied the graces of 
elocution. Of course, those auditors who regard a polished 
manner more than solidity of matter, and those who never 
feel edified unless their passions are excited and their imagi- 
nations heated, were not captivated with his public perform- 
ances. By the more judicious and intellectual part of the 
community, however, he was held in high estimation, and 
was listened to with intense interest. He considered the ob- 
ject of preaching to be not amusement, but instruction. He 
accordingly aimed at a distinct and intelligible expression of 
his thoughts, considering his labor lost, if he were not under- 
stood ; and regarded perspicuity as the first requisite of good 
style, which ought not to be sacrificed to any ornament what- 
ever. His sermons were scriptural and logical ; and contained 
a rich vein of thought running through them. In matter and 
in manner, they bore a striking resemblance to those of Dr. 
Samuel Clarke. 

Though born, if I may so say, and educated a Calvinist, 
yet in early life he renounced all the peculiar doctrines of the 
Calvinistic system. Election and reprobation, and the total 
depravity of human nature, together with their kindred doc- 
trines, moral and philosophical necessity, found in him a 
powerful and triumphant assailant ; while of the opposite 
doctrines, such as the impartial love of God, universal re- 
demption, and the ability of man, through divine assistance 
granted to all, to work out his salvation, he was an able and 
successful advocate. 

The Athanasian doctrine of the Trinity was considered by 
him not merely above reason, but contrary to it, and nowhere 
taught in the sacred Scriptures. He could not believe, that 
the God of truth has revealed, or, in the words of Dr. Cotton 
Mather, that he requires our " assent or consent to a mathe- 
matical falsehood." He, of course, did not believe our Sa- 
viour to be God himself, but the Son of God. Of the character 
of Christ, however, he entertained an exalted opinion ; be- 
lieving his preexistence and superangelic nature. Like Price 
and many other eminent theologians, both in Europe and in 
America, he considered the powers communicated to our 



31 

Saviour, and the offices assigned him, so great, as to require 
a basis for their support, more broad and deep than simple 
humanity. 

His opinion relative to the Atonement was very similar to 
that of the last named author. He was far from considering 
our Saviour's sufferings as vicarious, intended to satisfy the 
demands of divine justice, or to render infinite benevolence 
propitious ; still, he believed they were necessary to answer 
some other purpose, than merely to affix to his ministry the 
seal of martyrdom. 

Having formed his religious opinions by a long and assiduous 
examination of the Scriptures, he was extremely averse to 
being called by any of the names by which the different sects 
of Christians are designated. He was desirous of being de- 
nominated a Bible Christian ; and wished that all who, like 
himself, called no man master except Christ, would assume 
to themselves that appellation. He had no objection to peo- 
ple's having a creed. It is what every one must have ; and 
what every one has a right to propose, and to defend ; but 
he had most serious objections to people's imposing a creed 
on others, or requiring, as a term of Christian fellowship, an 
assent to any human formulary. Though well established in 
his own opinions, he was far from arrogating to himself infal- 
libility ; or thinking it impossible, that he should fall into 
error. ' f It is not certain," said he, in his Convention sermon, 
" that we are the only wise men, and that wisdom will die 
with us. The inspired writers undoubtedly knew that they 
were right ; but uninspired men do not possess this infallible 
knowledge. It is possible, after all, that our brethren may 
prove to be right, and we wrong." His practice was in per- 
fect harmony with his theory. No man's religious opinions, 
however erroneous he might think them, were by him ascribed 
to depravity of heart ; and so frank was his manner, and so 
candid his feelings, that they who differed the most widely 
from him in opinion, could not withhold from him their affec- 
tion and esteem. 

Of religious liberty, and the independence of the Congre- 
gational churches, he was a warm asserter, and an able advo- 
cate ; and on all occasions firmly resisted any encroachments 
on their rights. In ecclesiastical difficulties, he was a wise 
and judicious counsellor ; and the advice of few clergymen 
was so generally solicited, so highly respected, or so greatly 
influential. 



32 

In private and domestic life, he was a model of all that is 
amiable and excellent. His feelings, tender and humane, 
prompted him to sympathize with the afflicted, to love his 
neighbours, and, as he had opportunity, to do good unto all 
mert. 

Religious principle seems to have been at an early age 
impressed deeply on his mind, to have been incorporated with 
all his sentiments, and to have had a predominant influence 
upon his whole conduct. His piety, like genuine charity, 
did not consist in word and in tongue, but in deed and in 
truth. It was not a passion subject to a perpetual alternation 
of excitement and languor : but a permanent principle, mani- 
fested in the purity of his life, and in his calm resignation to 
the will of Heaven — especially to the severe affliction, with 
which he was visited during many of the last years of his 
life. 

The loss of such a man is no ordinary calamity. Though 
his life was prolonged beyond the usual period of human ex- 
istence, yet they who have been his friends and associates, — 
to say nothing of the domestic ties which are dissolved, — deep- 
ly lament, that they shall see his face no more. 

" Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit, 
Nulli flebilior quam mihi." 

E. R, 



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